Urban bike-tour - From the Parliament to the Great Market Hall

This short tour can be completed only in two hours and we recommended for those who would like to explore the most important sights of the Inner City but do not have have all day to do so.

The stations, though situated close to each other, show a wide palette of the cultural and historical heritage of Budapest: we will see the building of legislation, religious centers, and even the favorite marketplace of locals and tourists alike. The many dimensions of a city, its history, sights and secrets can be explored the best on foot or by bike which helps to feel its rhythm.

If we don't happen to have our own bicycle, we can easily ride through the capital with the MOL Bubis, and there are docking stations near the important sights, where after looking around, we can easily get another bike and continue our journey.

Our journey starts at the docking station at the corner of Szalay Street (Szalay utca) and Kossuth Square (Kossuth tér), and our first stop is the Parliament. The monumental building can be visited with guided tours through the Visitors' Centre.

Parliament Photo: Lakner Gábor, funiQ

Parliament
Lying on the bank of the Danube is one of the largest and most important buildings of Hungary, the Parliament. It is the seat of the National Assembly and the home of legislation. It was designed by Imre Steindl and built between 1885 and 1904, showing influence of Gothic Revival architecture.

After exploring the "main square of the nation" and wondering at the Museum of Ethnography and the magnificent building of the Parliament which is a World Heritage Site, we can hop on our bikes again and embark on a journey into the heart of the city.

After the most famous building of Hungary we visit the most important monument of Christianity in Budapest. On Alkotmány Street (Alkotmány utca) we can cycle on a comfortable bike lane and after reaching Bajcsy-Zsilinszky Street (Bajcsy-Zsilinszky út), we can choose between the bike lane or a shared use bike path. We leave our Bubi at the dock at Arany János Street and walk to the Basilica from here.

The Parliament and the Basilica were once competitors for being a symbol of Budapest but fortunately there is no need to decide as a city can be the home for many spectacular buildings. Both buildings are 96 meters tall which is a reference to the date of the Hungarians' arrival in the Carpathian Basin (896 CE). We only refer to the Parliament as the second tallest building of Hungary, while Basilica is only the third, because the former was built earlier. You can learn about the half century long construction of the Basilica in the article below.

St. Stephen's Basilica, Budapest
One of the main sights of Budapest was built for 54 years under the leading of three architects. The Basilica is the third tallest building of Hungary presenting a beautiful panorama of the city from its circular terrace. It is the keeping place of the Holy Right Hand of Saint Stephen.

Photo: Harangozó Ádám, funiQ

If we are filled with the sight of the monumental building, and maybe even visited the circular panorama, we can already see the domed towers of our next station between the houses.

It is one of the other important religious buildings of Budapest, the largest synagogue in Europe. On our bike again, we cycle for a bit on the continuation of the bike path, then we take the bike lane on Károly Boulevard (Károly körút). From here, we turn on Dohány Street, then cycling along the synagogue and leaving the building behind, we continue until Síp Street where we will find he next docking station which lets us to explore the synagogue and its vicinity.

Dohány Street Synagogue Photo: Harangozó Ádám, funiQ

Dohány Street Synagogue
Found at the traditional entrance of the Jewish quarter and at the former border of the Ghetto, it is the largest synagogue in Europe and the second largest in the world. It was built in Moorish Revival style by Ludwig Förster in 1859. In the adjacent building is the Jewish Museum.

If we have time, it is recommended to visit the Jewish Museum which is located next to the main entrance of the synagogue. We can also ask for a guided tour which contains many interesting stories and rich background information.

We walk back to the bicycles on the corner of Síp Street and Wesselényi Street, and if we are not tempted by the many ruin pubs, we ride on Wesselényi Street back to Károly Boulevard and then continue on Múzeum Boulevard (Múzeum körút). The next Bubi station is located at the beginning of Bródy Sándor Street from where we can already spot the symbolic building of Hungarian history and identity which played a part in the Hungarian Revolution of 1848.

Hungarian National Museum
The museum was founded by Ferenc Széchényi in 1802 by donating his large collection to the state. The neoclassical building was designed by Mihály Pollack and the construction took place between 1837 and 1847. The museum soon became a national symbol as Sándor Petőfi held a speech here on March 15.

Hungarian National Museum Photo: Harangozó Ádám, funiQ

The garden, surrounding this monument of Hungarian Classicist architecture, is a popular meeting place, it is well worth taking a stroll along the trees and statues before moving on.

We can continue cycling on the boulevard to our last stop. After we leave Kálvin Square behind, we reach Fővám Square where we will find the last docking station next to the playground.

Market Hall Photo: Harangozó Ádám, funiQ

From here we can have a nice look at the Zsolnay-tiled building of the Great Market Hall which has been the largest marketplace of the capital since its opening in 1897. Here we can get a good grip on the traditional market buzz: though the traders are not allowed to shout their offers, the thick noise of the market is usually taken for granted. The market is popular with locals and tourists alike as you can buy the fruits, veggies and palinka directly from the manufacturers. After shopping we can also taste local specialties, for example the popular and tasty lángos.

The Great Market Hall Photo: Veszelovszki Zsolt, funiQ

Great Market Hall
When we first enter the building of the Market Hall, designed by Samu Pecz, decorated with colorful Zsolnay tiles, it is as if we entered another world: it feels like a time travel to Old Hungary where we can experience the traditional market culture and try authentic Hungarian goods.